Student Artwork 2009 Selected

Landis Homes recently announced Jennifer Shenk is their Art Student Award winner for 2009 for a pair of her works in her senior show. The announcement was made at the Lancaster Mennonite Awards assembly on May 15 by one of Landis Homes Vice Presidents Linford Good. In his remarks he noted this is the fifteenth year of this collaboration between the retirement community and the school.

Each year Landis Homes selects a piece of artwork from the Lancaster Mennonite High School Spring Fine Arts Festival to become part of a permanent art collection on the retirement community campus. This year a jury, representing Landis Homes and the Lancaster Mennonite art department, selected a pair of works by Shenk. Resident Miriam Housman served on the selection committee this year.

The subject of the pieces is the same, a silhouette of dark tree trunks against a colorful background in blues, greens and purples. In one the background is completed in colored ink and in the other the background is completed with tiny bits of painted paper.

In return for the artwork, Landis Homes made contributions to the Lancaster Mennonite High art department and to further Jennifer's education. She says, "My major is at the moment undeclared, but my interests lie in the subjects of English and Art. I hope to have a successful carreer doing something that I love, and to have a happy healthy family with God's blessings."

Shenk says her favorite art quote is by Vincent Van Gogh: "You can't be at the pole and the equator at the same time. You must choose your own line, as I hope to do, and it will probably be color."

Shenk, of Feetwood, PA, will graduate from the high school in late May. She is involved in the school's string orchestra and the National Honor Society. She attends Hope Community Church.

"Landis Homes Art Program provides a wonderful opportunity to recognize emerging artists at Lancaster Mennonite High School," says Art Department Chair Kathy Ciaccia. "Additionally, their support of the art program at Lancaster Mennonite High School has provided many blessings to the art department."

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